Reply With QuoteI'd go with the 99. Find a 30/30 barrel and see if JES is still around to have it re-bored.
Unsure if any action face work would be needed.
Ok, so I've hatched an idea for a new deer rifle build based around the new .360 Buckhammer cartridge Remington released earlier this year. Of the newer straight walled cartridges this one seems to make the most sense as both the .350 and .400 Legend use pistol bullets (9mm/.355" and 10mm/.400") rather than rifle bullets (.358" and .410"), whereas the .360 Buckhammer uses rifle bullets. While factory .360 BHMR loads utilize round-nose bullets there's plenty of pointy bullets with better BC's readily available in the 180-250gr range to minimize drop at effective distances.
As for what to build it on, I'd really like to do it on a falling block action but everyone is soo damn proud of them price-wise that I don't know if it would be worth it. I've also considered the possibility of rebarreling a tired old 99 that was originally chambered in .30-30, but that could get pricey as well and I don't know any smiths that are capable and willing to rebarrel a 99. Would be awesome to be able to hunt deer in Ohio with a Savage 99 though.
So on the falling block front, what are my action options? I know the Sharps and Ruger #1 actions would be plenty strong enough, but what other options are there for actions that wouldn't set me back an arm and a leg? A Ruger #1 donor would likely fall in the $1,200-1400 range. I know where I can get a Sharps 1874 in .40-65 right now for $2,100, but I'd really like to keep the donor rifle at $1,000 or below if at all possible. Anything more than that and the Savage 99 rebarrel option becomes the more economical option.
A rolling block would be another option, like an old Remington Hepburn or something, but those are usually pretty spendy to get into as well and I'm not sure which models would be sufficient to stand up to the 50kpsi max SAAMI pressure of the Buckhammer cartridge as most of those old falling blocks were chambered for rimfire cartridges or light centerfire rounds (25-20, 32-20, .218 Bee, 32-40, .38-40, 44-40, etc.) which typically were 30kpsi or less max pressure.
"Life' is tough. It's even tougher if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne
“Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.” —Mark Twain
I'd go with the 99. Find a 30/30 barrel and see if JES is still around to have it re-bored.
Unsure if any action face work would be needed.
Keeping my bad Karma intact since 1952
The Buckhammer is based on the .30-30, so no bolt face work would be needed. If anything, one might have to work on the magazine rotor a bit to account for the change form a slightly tapered case to a straight walled case. Don't know if Savage made any 99's in .375 Win with the rotary mag or if they were all detachable mags.
Much as the idea of a 99 or falling block intrigues me, the more I think about it and see how much such a project would cost, a new Henry lever gun chambered for the .360 would be a LOT cheaper and easier. If I could get into a suitable donor for $600 or less then maybe, but I really don't see that happening given what they fetch these days.
Or I could just keep plugging away with my Winchester 94 Big-Bore in .375 Win. and save even more money.
"Life' is tough. It's even tougher if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne
“Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.” —Mark Twain
Fred won’t rebarrel a 99? Hmm, that seems odd.
My vote is stick with using your 94. 375 Win. works plenty well. Honestly, I’m not a fan of this BOOM in straight wall cartridges. They each one claims to be better than the last, blah, blah, blah. They all do about the same thing & will down game inside 200yds. It’s all just a making money game. Personally, if I was relegated to hunting with a straight wall cartridge, I would use 45-70. But that’s me. Go with what you think is right. Is a custom build using a vintage rifle, in the new cartridge, worth the money; when you can order a brand new Henry in 360 Buckhammer for around $1,000?
Yeah, there's a few misguided state's that require only straight wall cases to be used,
thus the push for the next bigger boiler room......I've always had a dream of building
a double rifle in straight wall. Finding a 20 gauge Fox side by side and building a 50 AE
would be fun.
Jim....The 99 was chambered back in the day for the 30/30, and the Savage 303 was
real close to the 30/30 so you may be able to solve the rotary end of it with a little
digging. Maybe Numrich ?? It's your money though.....
Keeping my bad Karma intact since 1952
I know you wanted a falling block, but they're highly prized for collecting and target shooting. I know, because I have a lot of them. LOL... There are always the break-open rifles like the H&R or the TC Encore. Those are frequently built into carbines. The Browning versions of the High Wall would be less than an original or custom and the 1885 action is arguably the strongest of the breed. There is also the CPA Rifles Stevens 44 1/2 clones that are very strong and reasonably priced for the quality offered. Their wood is especially nice for the money and offered in a variety of patterns.
The 1885's have been on my watch list, as well as some of the reproduction Sharps models. Stevens 44 1/2's are few and far between with only around 13,000 having been made, and as noted they are highly coveted by collectors so they usually fetch a tidy sum when one does come up for sale. Would love to have one in a nice Schutzen configuration, but I'm not willing to spend that much. hahaOriginally Posted by RCE1
As for the break-action, I've just never cared for or had much interest in them. I know many swear by them, but of all the long gun designs out there it's by far the worst when it comes to being conducive to precision accuracy. Just the slightest bit of slop or play in the hinge or lock-up can reek havoc on accuracy. It's a fine design for shotguns where pinpoint accuracy isn't a requirement, but not so great for rifles IMO. I know I'll probably open a can of worms with that statement, but that's just my feelings on them. To each their own.
"Life' is tough. It's even tougher if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne
“Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.” —Mark Twain
Nope, just the mention of rebarreling a 99 puts fear into Fred's eyes. haha All I know is that he said he did one once and he'll never do another one. Lots of cuts to be made and properly aligned on a 99 barrel for everything to fit together right.
As for the .375 Win, it does the job but bullet selection and usable range are extremely limited. Effective range is really limited to 125-150 yards for this round IMO. For jacketed bullets you've basically got two options, the Sierra 200gr or the Barnes 255gr Original which is never in-stock anywhere when I look. I've actually toyed with the idea of loading up some 250-260gr pointy bullets like a Nosler AccuBond or Sierra GameKing and limiting myself to one in the mag and one in the pipe (Ohio limits us to a max of three rounds anyway), but overall length could pose an issue with the lifter mechanism in the 94. Twist rate should be fine as all rifles chambered in .375 Win came with a 1-12" (Same as the .375 H&H) compared to the much slower 1-18" twist that was standard for the .38-55 shooting similar bullet weights.
"Life' is tough. It's even tougher if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne
“Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.” —Mark Twain
There may have been very few 44 1/2s made, but CPA Corp makes a dandy copy that's BPCR legal (for those who might care). People will buy an action and have a rimfire barrel fitted along with the centerfire choice. The triggers are exceptional. Owners also opt for accessory stock sets, so one could be optimized for offhand Schuetzen type competition, one for benchrest or even silhouette/hunting.
Probably won't find one for under a grand, though. Their prices have gone up, that's for sure.
Of the replica Sharps I've seen, the Pedersoli is probably the best.
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